We had another fun and successful family camp, taking advantage of the long Labor Day weekend. Mom and Dad joined us this year in their new-to-them motor home. We camped near Baumgartner's Hot Springs, choosing a camp site on the riverbank. As is years past, it was fun to work together to establish our 'Strong Village Camp' to reside in for a few days. Our kids are hard workers and great team players, each doing their part for the greater good of all.
Before we left the area yesterday, Kendell and I lingered with Mom and Dad to check out the heated pool. It is greatly altered from when I was there as a girl, but the improvements are very nice. It was wonderful to have Mom and Dad with us. Dad shared some of his boyhood scout camping experiences with us for our FHE on Monday night. We woke up to a chilly 26 degrees Tuesday morning, but our camping spirits were not stifled. As many of you know, camping is not my favorite thing to do. But there is much to be gained from coming together as a family in a place free of worldly attractions and electronic/digital communications. We shared great food, fun conversation, baby-watching turns with the grandkids - all among God's beautiful Idaho mountains. Yes, the hot shower and my own bed put a big smile on my face when we returned home last night. But the wonderful memories that we built this past weekend as a family continues to bring joy to my soul. What a great family we have!
Here is a picture from my hike yesterday. I am glad I got up there before the snow covers it all up. There were mostly reds and a little bit of yellow, and it was mostly on the ground, but I don't think there is really much to complain about, right? The leaves in the valley haven't really started to fall yet, but they probably will in the next week, and I don't think I will be able to stop myself from bringing them all home to hang on my walls.
We had another fun and successful family camp, taking advantage of the long Labor Day weekend. Mom and Dad joined us this year in their new-to-them motor home. We camped near Baumgartner's Hot Springs, choosing a camp site on the riverbank. As is years past, it was fun to work together to establish our 'Strong Village Camp' to reside in for a few days. Our kids are hard workers and great team players, each doing their part for the greater good of all. 
Kendell got on the business end of his axe and freed the tree stump grouping from our back yard. Now there is more room (and less shade) in my herb garden to plant some additional things! 
Audrey kept us highly entertained a few weeks ago when Tim and Tara were here to help with the home improvement projects. Apparently hats and beads are all the rage this season. 
Here's the birthday boy/son/brother/husband/student/daddy/rock hound. Hope you have a good one!
I know, I know. You can't see anyone's faces here. But is was fun to peek out of the back window and see some of the men in the family solving the world's problems with Audrey in tow. 
PLANT A GARDEN 
It was so good to see some of our Tyler cousins again at Aunt Shirley's funeral. They used to come and stay with us almost every summer and we had such a great time together on the farm. We decided that we need to have a cousin's reunion soon.
These two tomato plants came from the same seed packet, but clearly one of them is a genetic misfit, and possibly an alien plant. When I rub the leaves, it doesn't even smell like a tomato plant, but it has a fuzzy stem like a tomato plant. I'm going to plant it just to see what it produces, although I don't know that I'll be eating what comes off that plant. Who knows, it could be reverting back to it's original parent...Belladona Nightshade.
These are peppers, peppers and peppers, I forget the names, but all peppers and all hot. They sit in the window facing west so they get more afternoon sun.
This is basil on the left, chives in the middle and parsley on the right. Most of the plants were getting too tall for the plastic cover, so I took it off one day, and they all wilted. So now they sit in the window facing east to get more afternoon shade.
And this is my poor old houseplant that has traveled around with me for the past 8 years, what a trooper.
